Best touring bike

[Harry the Barstard]

You really should have given a budget. Somehow I don't think you intend to pony up for a new beemer. Or a new anything. Where are you going to buy the bike? What are bike prices like there?

Fair call,

long story short i am the first generation of my familly to be born an bread in NZ not england like the rest of em. I have an uncle who races and restores bikes quiet seriously (for a non sponcered chap) who lives in Birmingham.

Anyway im going to get him to pick me one up just need to give him the make, model and wire over some lollie. $10k nz is what i will have to spend.

[Harry the Barstard]

I really don't think the bike you choose is as important as your attitude. I had a ball last summer on my 620 Multistrada - 16000kms covering from the Isle of Man for the TT across as far west as Slovenia, over 10 weeks. I never felt the lack of a bigger bike, but then I spent the minimum of time on autobahns, autoroutes etc. Where I was forced on to a motorway type of road I still sat at around 130kmh (the limit, enforced quite strongly in most countries) while on the small back roads I prefer and which seem to lead to the most interesting villages etc, the small bike was a real bonus. Some days I did 800 or 900kms while others were only 100 or so.

As I say, attitude is the important part.

I flew the bike into the UK, for timing reasons, but shipped it back to NZ.

Whatever you ride, have a great time.

Cheers man i intend to,

I think you raise a good point and i am the sort of person who will avoid the main road too. Hadnt thought of that as that is a major factor to put into the equation.

Big ups

[Padmei]

Is it just me or are there other jealous barstards who want to slap this guy for planning such a great trip!!!!
Have a great time & think of us listening at home listening to the kids argue

[Padmei]

PS modles is actually spelt models

[Padmei]

Is it just me or are there other jealous barstards who want to slap this guy for planning such a great trip!!!!
Have a great time & think of us at home listening to the kids argue

[steveb64]

Quick history,

Ive been a sports bike rider for 10 yrs, last 12 months purchased a naked bike due to licience retaining issues. I'm lovin it and have heaps of fun at more legal (give or take) speeds.

In 8 months or so im off for a big ride... The plan is from the UK to Rome, athens, Prague then to Germany. I have never been to any of those places and have no experance on tourers.

Any one ridden over there?, any advise on a suitable bike?

One last condition, If possible i would like to be more sports tourer than a bloody great goldwing etc....

Me, the missus and a mate spent 6 weeks touring around Europe plus 2 weeks at the TT, then another week going up around the top (nearly) of Scotland back in '96. Me on my Duc (900SL), the missus on a RF900, and the mate on a TDM850. Had lambskins on all bike seats, and were carrying gear for camping (tents, etc.), as well as clothes for 4 seasons (due to a LATE spring). Oddly enough - after we all switched bikes a few times - the Duc was picked as being one of the most comfortable! Actually - the RF was voted as most UNCOMFORTABLE, the Duc and the TDM had totally different riding positions, but were both Ok for 500 - 800 kms a day.

We went UK - France - Spain - Portugal - Spain - Andorra - France - Italy - Austria - (in one day France - Germany - Luxembourg - Belgium - France - UK) - IOM TT - Scotland. Totalled about 14,000 km's in 9 weeks, and we did bugger all riding in the two weeks at the TT - too many loose units out there.

One place that's a MUST do - is Andorra! Worlds biggest duty free shopping centre! As in - the whole country is duty free. Came away with a new leather jacket (NZ$300), new Dainese 2pc race suit (NZ$800) and a bunch of other bits. So much that we had to stay a few days longer so as to post the excess gear back to the UK!

One other thing to take into consideration - the English are REALLY disliked (so are Americans - but that shouldn't be too much of a problem) - so if you buy your bike in the UK (Uk number plates) make SURE you take plenty of NZ stickers/patches/identifiers! We didn't (couldn't get hold of any for some reason), and often had shit treatment, until we got across that we weren't Brits, but Kiwis - and suddenly there'd be smiles and handshakes and nice treatment.

Errm - you know you'll need a UK street address if you're buying a bike there? It has to be insured to get appropriate Tax discs and certs - which requires a residential street address. Maybe one of the UK KBers will be able to help you out? Find one in the country - better rates!

And one MORE other thing - if you're planning on shipping the bike back after your trip: The VAT refund is based on the vehicle being less than 12 months old from date of DELIVERY when it leaves the shores of the EU. The GST drops to 50% if more than 12 months old from date of PURCHASE. At least, that's how it was in '96. The way it worked out for us was we bought the bikes in August '95 - but as we were living in Russia at the time, we left them with the dealer until our contracts had finished, then took delivery in Feb '96 (well, I did - ran both bikes in, up 1000km service, so ready to go). So we got all the VAT back, and only paid 1/2 the GST! Basically covered the shipping costs! Well - on the Duc - the TDM got written off (in this incident http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/sh...6&postcount=48), and we decided that Suzuki had gutted the price of the RF900's in NZ so much, it wasn't woth shipping it back, so it got sold instead!

[steveb64]

I really don't think the bike you choose is as important as your attitude. I had a ball last summer on my 620 Multistrada - 16000kms covering from the Isle of Man for the TT across as far west as Slovenia, over 10 weeks. I never felt the lack of a bigger bike, but then I spent the minimum of time on autobahns, autoroutes etc. Where I was forced on to a motorway type of road I still sat at around 130kmh (the limit, enforced quite strongly in most countries) while on the small back roads I prefer and which seem to lead to the most interesting villages etc, the small bike was a real bonus. Some days I did 800 or 900kms while others were only 100 or so.

As I say, attitude is the important part.

I flew the bike into the UK, for timing reasons, but shipped it back to NZ.

Whatever you ride, have a great time.

Sounds pretty much as we did. Kept out of the cities, and off the motorways as much as possible. Cough. We tended to cruise at more like 150k on the motorways - never had any problems with the cops (was also '96). AND, we weren't the fastest on the road... Closest we had to a problem was heading into Austria - couple of cops came running from their car, well off to the side of the road, waving. I waved back. Apparently, they were waving even harder when the missus came through on her RF 10-20 seconds later... She waved back too!